HE SAYS: Our second visit in Luján de Cuyo was at Bodega Carmelo Patti, another boutique winery. Carmelo comes from the old school of wine making and clearly enjoys what he is doing. He’s very warm and friendly and a gracious host. He doesn’t speak much English – and we didn’t speak much Spanish – but we managed to understand most of what he was saying because of the context. (SHE INTERJECTS: he used a little Italian to make it easier on me.)
Carmelo basically runs a one-man operation, doing most of the work himself and hiring help at harvest season and when it’s time to bottle the wine. So he oversees the vineyards, winemaking, bottling and even acts as tour guide. He showed us his cement fermentation tanks and barrel and bottle storage areas and and gave us a terrific barrel sample.
And how many red wine specialists do you know who also make a fine sparkling wine from pinot noir and chardonnay in the method champenoise, but we didn’t get to sample that. The tasting was free and it was definitely worth a visit.
SHE SAYS: What a doll. If you are in Mendoza area, you absolutely MUST visit Carmello Patti. Charming, funny and very, very gracious. He acts as if he’s known you his entire life. He has Spanish & Italian heritage and all the gracious qualities of both cultures live in Carmello.
Every fantasy you’ve ever had about touring an old, classic wine-making facility will come true here. Walking down dark narrow hallways, sounds of your footsteps on cement walkways in those hallways, colors of cabernet, putty, beiges, golds, wood accents, the sounds of the master winemaker talking to you in another language, the smell of the oak barrels, a little taste from the barrel - if this is a dream do NOT wake me up – repeat – do NOT wake me up.
2003 Carmelo Patti Cabernet Sauvignon –
HE SAYS: This wine is just being released after about four years of aging. It has a big nose and medium body, with a bit of acid and tannin. He recommended drinking it by 2013. 14+
SHE SAYS:
2004 Carmelo Patti Malbec –
HE SAYS: A big and fruity Malbec that was aged 40% in French oak and 60% in concrete. It has medium high tannin, so it needs some age to soften. But once again, Carmelo said to drink it by 2013. Very good. 15
SHE SAYS: Aging in concrete – you must see this. You must.
2002 Carmelo Patti Gran Assemblage – Carmelo makes this wine only in years where the quality of the grapes merit it. So he’s produced an ’02, ’03, ’04 and ’08 recently. Carmelo wrote that it was 47% Cab, 24% Malbec, 19% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Well, that comes out to just 98%, and frankly my Spanish was too basic to inquire about the missing 2%. Regardless, what’s in the bottle is terrific. The Gran Assemblage is a BIG and bold wine. Berry and cherry flavors predominate. Very complex with medium high tannins and a decent kick of acid still. It ages one year in oak and 4 years in the bottle, and he says once again to drink by 2013. 16
Hola, buenas tardes. Mi consulta es la siguiente, estoy con la idea en la cabeza de comprar vinos de diferentes bodegas para empezar un microemprendimiento, que es el de la VINOTECA, me encanta el tema de las bebidas y queria saber que posibilidad hay de que me envien una botella de cada clase de vino que comercializan, y si existe alguna forma de pago. Espero una pronta respuesta. Saludos….
Hello, good afternoon. My query is this, I am with the idea in mind to buy wines from different wineries to start a microenterprise, which is the VINOTECA, I love the theme of the drinks and wanted to know that possibility is there that send me a bottle of each kind of wine they sell, and whether any form of payment. I await your prompt response. Greetings ….
Thank you for your inquiry, but we do not sell wine. We are not a winery, we simply write about wine.
We wish you much success with your business!
Gracias por su consulta, pero no vendemos vino. No somos una bodega, simplemente escribir sobre el vino.
Le deseamos mucho éxito con su negocio!
Cristian – Gracias por escribir. No vendemos vino, sólo escribir sobre el vino. Le deseamos todo lo mejor con su negocio
Cristian – Thank you for writing. We don’t sell wine, we only write about wine. We wish you all the best with your business!
We were in the Mendoza area mid February 2012 and were thrilled to meet Carmello Patti, particularly after reading articles about his wine. We had toured larger facilities with mass produced wine and found that the boutique wineries such as Carmello Patti, la Azul, and Achaval Ferrer were more to our taste in the wine they make.
Mr. Patti is a charmer and his wine is more complex than most and obviously carefully crafted by an expert. We brought several bottles home and hope to locate more in California from a local distributor although it may never have the warm flavor it did when poured in a humble and charming tasting room in Lujan de Cuyo in the company of a lovely man, Carmello Patti.
How wonderful that you got to meet him! We agree on all points. Smaller ones are better. It was an exquisite experience and he is a charmer…he, he, he…
I would really love to return to Mendoza — but so MANY more places to visit. Did you go to Argentina just for the wine?
We went to Mendoza for the wine and to see the Andes up close, but also spent time in Buenos Aires. A very beautiful city with some great art museums and lots of great cafe con leche. And you? Just the wine?
She says: Family in Buenos Aires and wine in Mendoza. A branch of the family, most of whom I had not met. Buenos Aires is indeed beautiful.
) thx for the “push” hahaha! http://www.flickr.com/photos/barrysentials
Lots of pictures of their famous La Recoleta Cemetery – A few of the angels are here: http://doyoustilllaughdoyoustillsing.wordpress.com/
Lots more to upload to Flickr – now that you’ve mentioned Buenos Aires, I’ll have to make time to upload some of those photos.
Watch here for updates in about a week!